Game apparatus



June 9, 1936. D. c. RocKoLA GAME -APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1935 4 Q/J. 7 l. 2 4 J2 2 2 2,91

INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 9, 14936'Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tell-tale device which is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with coin-controlled amusement game apparatus to indicate to the proprietor or owner thereof when the player has attempted to operate the same fraudulently by moving the apparatus from its proper operating position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a game apparatus, the invention hereinafter described and claimed. s Y

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

'Ihe invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:V

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a game apparatus embodying a preferred form of the new tell-tale device;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail View on line 5 in Fig. 3.

A game apparatus embodying a preferred form of the new tell-tale device is illustrated in the drawing, is therein generally indicated at IIJ, and

comprises a cabinet or casing II, in which is arranged a supporting frame 25 for the new telltale device, and provided in the top wall I2 of the cabinet or casing I I is a coin slot I3.

Pivotally journalled in the cabinet or casing I I is a horizontal shaft I4 which carries a handle I5 that is disposed exteriorly of the cabinet II adjacent the front wall IB thereof. y

Provided in the front wall I6 of the casing II is a transparent window I1 and pivotally mounted between its ends in the cabinet II, as at I8, and rearwardly of the sight opening or window I1, is a U-shaped tell-tale member I9 which includes parallel arms 23 and 6l and an indiciumbearing cross arm 20 which extends between said arms 23 and 6I. This member I9 is counterbalanced so that the end portion or cross arm 20 is normally urged by gravity into alignment or registration Vwith the window I1 (clockwise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 3).

Pivotally suspended in the cabinet II, at a point 2l above the tell-tale member I9, is a pendulum 22 and when the cabinet I I is in its proper operating position, that is, with the base of the saine horizontal, the pendulum 22 will hang in vertical position (as in dotted lines, Fig. 4) and in this position of the pendulum the same bears at its lower end against the tell-tale member I9 and thereby maintains the latter in an-inclined positionv (as in dotted lines, Fig. 3) so as to dispose the indicium-bearing portion 20 thereof out of registration with the sight opening I1. y I-Iowever, if the cabinet or casing I I is, for any reason, tilted out of its proper operating position, in an attempt to operate the same fraudulently or for any other reason, the pendulum 22 will assume a tilted position (for example as illustrated in full line position, Fig. 4 with its lower end disposed between the parallel sides or arms- 23 and 6I of the tell-tale member I 9), whereupon the tell-tale member I9 will pivot by gravity (clockwise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 3), thereby disposing the indicium-bearing cross-arm 20 of the tell-tale member I9 in registration with the sight opening I1 to indicate that the cabinet II has been tilted from its proper operating position.Y

Provided inthe cabinet II is a device generally indicated at 24 for resetting the pendulum 22 and the tell-tale member I9 back into their initial positions, and intoI latching engagement with each other, after operation thereof; this resetting device 24 being associated with'the coin slot I3 and being controlled by a coin inserted into the same.

Arranged in the cabinet II is a frame 25 and pivotally mounted in this frame 25, as at 26, is a member 21 which has a laterally extending arm 28 which is provided on its lower edge with a rack or series of teeth 29. The member 21 is urged in a clockwise direction, into full line position (Fig. 4), by a spring .40, and arranged below the arcuate arm 28 o-f the member 21 is an arcuate trackway 59.

The arm 28 of the member 21 works in a transverse slot 30 which is provided in a coin receptacle 3I which is arranged below the coin slot I3 and in communication therewith (Figs. 3 and 4).

The coin receptacle 3l is formed as a part of an upright member 32 which is pivotallyV mounted between its ends on the shaft 26 and this member 32 has a downwardly extending or angled end portion or arm 33 which is adapted to be projected under, the arm 6I of ,the tell-tale member I9 (Figs. 3 and 4). The member 32 is urged in a clockwise direction, into full line position (Fig. 4) by a spring 60.

The shaft I4 has an angled end portion or arm 34 and pivotally attached to this arm 34, as at 35, is one end portion of a link 36, the other end portion of the link 3S being pivotally attached, as at 31, to an arm 38 of the member 21.

Having one end attached to the member 21, as at 39, is a resetting spring 46, the other end of which is attached, as at 4I, to a supporting arm 42 which is arranged in the cabinet I I.

Pivotally mounted in the cabinet II, as at 43,1

upon a supporting member 44, is a two-way socalled full stroke dog 45 which is engageable with the teeth 29 of the arm 28.

Carried by the member 32 is a laterally projecting pin or lug 46 which is engageable in a notched portion 41 of a latch arm 48 which is pivotally mounted, adjacent one of its ends, in the cabinet I I, as at 49 (Fig. 4) and the member 21 has an arm 59 which is provided with a lateral extension 5I which is engageable with the latch arm 48 adjacent the end thereof which is opposite the end of the same that is pivotally mounted, at 49, in the cabinet I I (Fig. 4).

Pivotally journalled in the cabinet I I, is a horizontal shaft 52 on which is mounted a disc 53 which is visible in the cabinet I I behind a transparent window 54 provided therein. Mounted on the shaft 52 is a ratchet 55 and urged into engagement with the ratchet 55 by a spring 56 is a pawl 51 which is pivotally mounted upon the member 32.

Operation When the cabinet I I is in its proper operating position, with the base thereof horizontal, the

pendulum 22, hanging in a vertical position, rides upon the arm 6I of the tell-tale member I9 and keeps the latter in a tilted position, that is, out of horizontal position (as in dotted lines, Fig. 3), so that the tell-tale indicium on the cross arm 20 of the tell-.tale member is out of registration with the sight opening I1 and not visible therethrough.

However, if the cabinet II is tilted from its proper operating position, for any reason, such as by an attempt of the player to operate the game apparatus fraudulently, the lower end of the pendulum 22 rides 01T the arm 6I of the tell-tale member I9, whereupon the counterbalanced end portion or cross arm 2D of the tell-tale member I9 pivots by gravity into positon (as in full lines, Fig. 3) to dispose the tell-tale indicium on the cross arm 2,8 of the tell-tale member in registration with the sight opening I1 so as to indicate that the apparatus has been tilted from its proper operating position; and the tell-tale member I9 remains in this effective position (as in full lines, Fig. 3) until such time as a proper coin is inserted into the apparatus and the latter is operated.

When a coin is inserted into the coin slot I3 it falls by gravity into the coin receptacle portion 3I of the upright member 32 and when in this position the coin bears at its lower edge upon the trackway 59.

The operator then presses downwardly upon the handle I5, moving the same from full to dotted line position (Fig. l). This movement of the handle I5 moves the shaft I4 and its angled end or arm 34 (counterclockwise, from full to dotted linevposition, Fig. 4) and this movement of the shaft I4 and its arm 34 acts through the link 36 to pivot the member 21 (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4).

Thisr movement of the member 21 projects the arm 28 thereof through the right hand slot 39 which is formed in the coin receptacle 3l (right to left, Fig. 4) and, at the start of this movement, the outer end of the arm 28 engages the coin which is disposed in the coin receptacle 3I, whereupon, as the member 21 and its arm 23 continue to move (counterclockwise, or right to left, Fig. 4), the coin receptacle 3l and its carrier or supporting member 32 are likewise moved (counterclockwise, or right to left, Fig. 4), thereby moving the coin, which is disposed in the coin receptacle 3l along the trackway 59 to the left hand end thereof, as seen in Fig. 4, whereupon the coin 62 drops off the trackway 59 into a suitable receptacle l5 Whichmay be provided therefor in the cabinet I I. During the foregoing movement of the coin carrier 32 and its coin receptacle portion 3i (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4) the downwardly angled end portion or arm 20 33 of the coin carrier 32-31 engages the arm Si of the tell-tale member I9 and thereby pivots the tell-tale member I9 (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 3); thus moving the indicium-bearing portion or cross-arm 29 of the 25- member I9 out of registration with the sight opening I 1 whereupon the pendulum 22 will swing into a vertical position, (as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4), and the bottom end thereof will latchingly engage the arm 6I of the U-shaped te1ltale 30 member I9 thereby holding the end portion or cross arm 29 thereof out of registration with the sight opening I1.

As the member 21 and its arm 23 and the coin carrier 32 and its receptacle 3l are thus moved 35- the end of its operative stroke (as in dotted lines, 40j

Fig. 4) the notched portion 41 of the latch arm 48 falls` upon the pin 46 and prevents retroactive movement of the member 32, pawl 51, ratchet 55, and disc 53 until the member 21 and its arm 28 have reached the end of their operative stroke and 45- are disposed as in dotted line position, Fig. 4, whereupon the two-way full-stroke dog 45 reverses its position and releases the member 21 and its arm 28 for retroactive movement (clock- ,l wise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 4); 50 the member 21 and its arm 28 then being reset or pivoted (clockwise, Fig. 4) by the resetting spring 4U.

It is to be noted in this connection that the purpose of the full-stroke dog 45 is to compel 515rthe operator of the device to move the member 21--28 a full stroke (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4) before the dog 45 can be reversed and the member 21--28 returned to its initial position, as in full lines, Fig. 4. 60 When the member 21 and its arm 28 reach their initial position (as in full lines, Fig. 4) the lateral extension 5I of the arm 59 of. the member 21 er1- gages under the left hand end portion of the i. latch arm 48 (as seen in Fig. 4), thereby pivoting 65 the latch member 48 (clockwise, from dotted toward full line position, Fig. 4). This movement of the latch member 43 releases the notched portion 41 thereof from latching engagement with the pin 46 which is carried by the coin carrier 70 32, whereupon the then tensioned resetting spring 69 acts upon the coin carrier 32 and its coin receptacle 3I to pivot the same back into its initial position-(clockwise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 4); and during this movement of the 75' member 32 the pawl 51 carried thereby (Fig. 5) engages the ratchet 55 and thereby rapidly rotates the ratchet 55, shaft 52, and the disc 53 (counterclockwise, as seen looking from right to left, Fig. 3, at the front Wall of the cabinet I I).

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus, for example, while I have shown and described the new tell-tale device as preferably used in conjunction with a game apparatus, it is to be understood that it may be used in conjunction with other devices, machines or apparatus in connection with which it may be desired to indicate when the same are, and are not, in proper or normal operating position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters normal operating position; said pendulum moving out of engagement with the said tell-tale member so that the said indicium-bearing portion thereof may move into registration with the said sight opening, if. and when the said cabinet is moved or tilted from its normal or proper operating position; a disc rotatably mounted in the said cabinet and having a portion visible through the said sight opening; and means for rotating the said disc including a device for resetting the said tell-tale member and the said pendulum into engagement with each other.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet having a sight opening provided therein; a tell-tale member movably mounted in said cabinet and having an indicium-bearing portion; a pendulum in said cabinet normally engaging the said tell-tale member and holding the same in position to dispose the said indicium-bearing portion thereof out of registration with said sight opening when the said cabinet is in its proper or normal operating position; said pendulum moving out of engagement with the said tell-tale member, so that the said indicium-bearing portion thereof may move into registration with the said sight opening, if and when the said cabinet is moved or tilted from its normal or proper operating position; a rotatable disc in the said cabinet; and means for operating the said disc; said means including a device for resetting the said tell-tale member and pendulum into engagement with each other.

DAVID C. ROCKOLA. 

